Get a move on

New program aims to help employees get in shapeBy Marcia Porter

Developed by HKR's Allied Health Services, Get A Move On is a progressive program designed to take you from the couch to the track and get you walking, running, and eating better. It's a five-month program that adds exercises progressively, helping you build your health and fitness week by week.

"We all know that it's good for us to be physically active and this program is really about overcoming barriers to participating in exercise," said Liam Kelly, manager, Allied Health Services. "We want to encourage people who aren't typically active. It's about supporting, encouraging and motivating employees to be healthier."

The program is the first developed by HKR for Memorial employees and delivered through Human Resources.

Get A Move On gets started Thursday, March 1, and runs for 20 weeks until Saturday, July 21, finishing up just in time for the popular St. John's-based Tely 10 road race.

Dawn Corbett helps co-ordinate wellness activities for Human Resources and says, while the program isn't specifically a Tely 10 training program, it was inspired by feedback from past participants.

"Last year many Tely 10 participants said they wished they had started preparing earlier," she said. "Many had never taken part in this kind of event before."

Upon receiving this feedback, Mr. Kelly went to work setting up a program that includes weight training, stretching and exercises that target muscles used for walking, jogging and running.

Get a move on is aimed at beginners and fitness buffs alike, and uses an online tracking system, Total Coaching, that helps track your progress, provides video exercise demonstrations and answers your health and fitness questions. Several in-class education sessions are also planned.